Erythropodium caribaeorum (Duchassaing and Michelotti, 1860) (Cnidaria: Alcyonacea), an additional alien coral in the Southwestern Atlantic

Author(s)

Carpinelli, Agatha Nascimento ^[1] ; Silva Cordeiro, Ralf Tarciso ^{[2, 3]} ; Neves, Leonardo Mitrano ^[4] ; De Moura, Rodrigo Leao ^{[5, 6]} ; Kitahara, Marcelo Visentini ^{[7, 8, 1]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Programa Posgrad Biodiversidade & Ecol Marinha &, BR-11070100 Santos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Smithsonian Inst, Natl Museum Nat Hist, Dept Invertebrate Zool, Washington, DC 20560 - USA

^[3] Univ Fed Rural Pernambuco, Dept Biol, BR-52171900 Recife, PE - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Rural Rio de Janeiro, Dept Ciencias Meio Ambiente, BR-25802100 Tres Rios, RJ - Brazil

^[5] Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Biol, BR-21941972 Rio De Janeiro, RJ - Brazil

^[6] SAGE COPPE, BR-21941972 Rio De Janeiro, RJ - Brazil

^[7] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Inst Mar, BR-11070100 Santos, SP - Brazil

^[8] Univ Sao Paulo, Ctr Biol Marinha, BR-11612109 Sao Sebastiao, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Zootaxa; v. 4822, n. 2, p. 175-190, AUG 5 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Invasive species may compromise biodiversity and ecosystem services, and represent a steadily growing concern for coastal marine ecosystems. The marine aquarium trade (MAT) is the source of some of the world's worst aquatic invasions, inflicting multimillion-dollar losses in infected regions. In the Southwestern Atlantic (SWA), two Indo-Pacific coral species were recently introduced as a result of the MAT and already dominate the substrate at the introduction site in Southeastern Brazil (Praia Vermelha, Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro State). Herein, based on morphological and molecular evidence, we report a Caribbean native coral species likely introduced by the MAT in Praia Vermelha, Erythropodium caribaeorum (Duchassaing \& Michelotti 1860). While the eradication of coral species that already have a pest status in the SWA is unlikely, we propose that the eradication of the three species still contained to their introduction sites, including E. caribaeorum, is still feasible and depends on a rapid and integrated embracement of the task by core stakeholders. Priority actions for the regulation of MAT and hobbyism in Brazil are proposed. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/01332-0 - Phylogenomics of the order Scleractinia (Cnidaria, Anthozoa): relationships between evolution and climate change
• Grantee: Marcelo Visentini Kitahara
• Support Opportunities: Research Program on Global Climate Change - Young Investigators
• FAPESP's process: 18/13554-8 - Molecular systematics of the Southwestern Atlantic Octocorallia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa), with emphasis on deep-sea species
• Grantee: Ralf Tarciso Silva Cordeiro
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral